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Jasmine Hastings
Overview Jasmine Hastings was a Dranian politician formerly serving as Chairwoman of the right-wing Grand National Party. In the administrations of Prime Ministers Delia Breckinridge and Janice LeCoultre, she served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defence, respectively. Life Born in Iglesia Mayor in 3359 as Jasmine Everton to a family of academics, teachers and intellectuals, she was by birth a member of the natural voter base of the Grand National Party, with her parents both being involved in campaigning for the GNP during elections. She first became involved in politics when she studied Political Science at the public University of Iglesia Mayor, where she led the local branch of the Libertarian Students Movement, the youth wing of the GNP. After graduating summa cum laude in 3380, she moved on to become Assistant Professor of Government and Political Science at the faculty. Hastings simultaenously served as an advisor to Foreign Minister Tony Bradbury, then-GNP Chairman, under whos influence she officially became a member of the party and was elected to the Parliament in December 3383. Politics Less than one year later, she became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Delia Breckinridge, a proponent of the traditionalist faction with whom she soon developed a personal friendship. This also led to Hastings, despite her personal libertarian viewpoints, consistently defending Breckinridge when she came under pressure of liberals such as Janice LeCoultre after the ensuing elections and her promise to devolute authority over the legality of abortions to local governments. Despite Hastings' support, Breckinridge was ousted by the GNP leadership council, however she declined to vacate her position as Prime Minister due to the support of her Ministers, including Hastings. However, in 3393, Breckinridge lost a motion of confidence and the GNP was struck by mass defections to the conservative Conservative National Party , which Breckinridge would eventually participate in due to her dismay over the harsh treatment she received from her own parliamentary party. Hastings remained in office, serving under then-acting Prime Minister Tom Marshall (PP), and took over the lead of the GNP delegation to the cabinet, thus becoming Deputy Prime Minister. After the ensuing elections in which the GNP prevailed despite heavy losses of six percent, Hasting switched to the Defence Ministry, leaving her former position to one of her confidants, the PP's James Brown, in accordance with hom she had achieved the opening of a Dranish embassy in Kazulia. Her tenure as Foreign Minister also generated a major controversy when she heavily criticized Solentian ultra-nationalist leader and Supreme President Tobias Phillips for his hate speech against Dranland, even classifying him as a "mind-numbing prole". As Defence Minister, she played a crucial role during the HMS Chulbark controversy, which nearly provoked a war between the two nations. Hastings was a proponent of the 'hawks' within the Dranish government and even threatened to destroy the Valruzian who issued a blockade against the Dranish seaport where the wreck of the Chulbark had allegedly been stored. Hastings stirred another controversy when she called for the introduction of a four percent sales tax to fund an increase in defence spending, which was slammed by Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marshall as well as PAC. The according bill failed to pass the assembly. After the 3397 elections, in which the fascist-leaning Valdorian Blue Shirt Movement won a plurality, Hastings succeeded Prime Minister Janice LeCoultre as GNP Chairwoman after the GNP had suffered a heavy blow in the elections, hitting an all-time low and coming in behind both VBSM and PAC. However, in November 3401, shortly before the inauguration of a four-way right-wing cabinet including the GNP, Hastings announced that she would retire from politics altogether, which came as a surprise to her party and the general public. She explained her reasons as follows: *''"Look, I am proud to have served this country for decades, but it's time to quit, and the truth is, I'm tired of poltics, particularly because of the extremist language that has prevailed since the establishment of certain parties. This is no longer the level of discourse that I wish to participate in."'' She was succeeded by Interior Minister Richard Branstead-Smith after leadership elections were held in May 3402, and served as Deputy Prime Minister for the four prior months. After 39 years of absence from politics, Hastings returned as joint GNP-PP candidate for President, and was considered the frontrunner by most observers. After a strong showing of nearly 40% in the first round, she faced off with Francisco Salazar, leader of the fascist and widely condemned Valdorian Blue Shirt Movement. In a surprise victory that shocked mainstream parties all over the country, Salazar trounced Hastings by a razor-thin margin of 0.14% percent, making the election the narrowest contest in recent Dranish history. Hastings died eight years later in her home town at the age of 89. Category:Grand National Party (Dranland) politicians Category:GNP leaders Category:Dranian people